Zachary Taylor [Parents] was born on 24 Nov 1784 in Montepelier, Va. He died on 9 Jul 1850 in White House, Washington, Dc. He married Margaret Mackall Smith on 21 Jun 1810 in Jefferson, Ky.

Northerners and Southerners disputed sharply whether theterritories wrested from Mexico should be opened to slavery,and some Southerners even threatened secession. Standingfirm, Zachary Taylor was prepared to hold the Union togetherby armed force rather than by compromise.Born in Virginia in 1784, he was taken as an infant to Kentuckyand raised on a plantation. He was a career officer in the Army,but his talk was most often of cotton raising. His home was inBaton Rouge, Louisiana, and he owned a plantation inMississippi.But Taylor did not defend slavery or southern sectionalism; 40years in the Army made him a strong nationalist.He spent a quarter of a century policing the frontiers againstIndians. In the Mexican War he won major victories atMonterrey and Buena Vista.President Polk, disturbed by General Taylor's informal habits ofcommand and perhaps his Whiggery as well, kept him innorthern Mexico and sent an expedition under Gen. WinfieldScott to capture Mexico City. Taylor, incensed, thought that "thebattle of Buena Vista opened the road to the city of Mexico andthe halls of Montezuma, that others might revel in them.""Old Rough and Ready's" homespun ways were politicalassets. His long military record would appeal to northerners; hisownership of 100 slaves would lure southern votes. He had notcommitted himself on troublesome issues. The Whigsnominated him to run against the Democratic candidate, LewisCass, who favored letting the residents of territories decide forthemselves whether they wanted slavery.In protest against Taylor the slaveholder and Cass theadvocate of "squatter sovereignty," northerners who opposedextension of slavery into territories formed a Free Soil Partyand nominated Martin Van Buren. In a close election, the FreeSoilers pulled enough votes away from Cass to elect Taylor.Although Taylor had subscribed to Whig principles of legislativeleadership, he was not inclined to be a puppet of Whig leadersin Congress. He acted at times as though he were aboveparties and politics. As disheveled as always, Taylor tried to runhis administration in the same rule-of-thumb fashion with whichhe had fought Indians.Traditionally, people could decide whether they wanted slaverywhen they drew up new state constitutions. Therefore, to endthe dispute over slavery in new areas, Taylor urged settlers inNew Mexico and California to draft constitutions and apply forstatehood, bypassing the territorial stage.Southerners were furious, since neither state constitution waslikely to permit slavery; Members of Congress were dismayed,since they felt the President was usurping their policy-makingprerogatives. In addition, Taylor's solution ignored severalacute side issues: the northern dislike of the slave marketoperating in the District of Columbia; and the southerndemands for a more stringent fugitive slave law.In February 1850 President Taylor had held a stormyconference with southern leaders who threatened secession.He told them that if necessary to enforce the laws, hepersonally would lead the Army. Persons "taken in rebellionagainst the Union, he would hang ... with less reluctance thanhe had hanged deserters and spies in Mexico." He neverwavered.Then events took an unexpected turn. After participating in ceremonies attheWashington Monument on a blistering July 4, Taylor fell ill; within five dayshe was dead.After his death, the forces of compromise triumphed, but the war Taylorhad been willingto face came 11 years later. In it, his only son Richard served as a generalin theConfederate Army.

Margaret Mackall Smith was born on 21 Sep 1788 in Calvert, Md. She died on 14 Aug 1852 in East Pascagoula, Ms. She married Zachary Taylor on 21 Jun 1810 in Jefferson, Ky.

Richard Lee [Parents] was born in 1644 in New Poquoson, Va. He died on 12 Mar 1714 in Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland, Va. He married Laetitia Corbin in 1674.

Laetitia Corbin was born in 1657 in Stratfordshire, England. She married Richard Lee in 1674.